Post by SnoBorderZero on Jul 3, 2018 0:04:50 GMT -5
Admittedly I don't recall as a child ever watching the landmark television program, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. If I did, it clearly didn't leave much of an imprint on me, and being the young, stupid child I was I certainly gravitated more towards manic cartoons like Ninja Turtles as opposed to the slow-paced Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Funny enough I'm one of the kids that Fred Rogers desperately tried to ween off from the mindless television that myself and so many of my demographic devoured, as he emphatically states several times throughout this wonderful documentary. In fact, before watching this film I was struck by how naive I always was towards this show; I dismissed it as a very kid-friendly program hosted by the very kid-friendly Fred Rogers on a shoestring budget, and while all of that is true, I had no idea about the messages and difficult issues that Mr. Rogers was constantly tackling and the overall depth to this show. I quickly found myself fully immersed in this documentary, in awe as a low-budget children's show that largely utilized crude puppets and cruder sets was so searingly poignant and unafraid to tackle adult issues that undoubtedly trickled down to children as well. His philosophy was actually a fairly simple one in that instead of hiding children from the challenges they face in growing up by glueing them to mindless television that they instead have a discussion about these issues and how it makes them feel. From RFK's assassination to the civil rights movement, Fred Rogers never shied away from examining issues that plagued not just adults but children as well, and even more importantly he found a way to reach their core and help them understand the world around them. Yes, I've always known that Fred Rogers was a wonderfully positive influence on children for decades, but I was wholly impressed that he had the gall to discuss these subjects on a PBS children's program. This is a documentary about much more than just the program though, as it gives you a great insight into the mindset of Fred Rogers, including his frustrations with the manipulations of his own medium and also the scrutiny he faced from cynics and political nuts (okay, Conservatives). Just like his landmark television show, Mr. Rogers had a lot more to him than what was on the surface, and Won't You Be My Neighbor? is a fascinating memoriam to the man who positively affected so many lives.
Fred Rogers had always wanted to be a minister, even going to school to do just that, but one day he saw a program on television for the first time and everything changed for him. Sure, he admitted that the actual content playing on the television was pure drivel, but right away he understood the potential power that such a medium could have in spreading a message, especially in comparison to preaching sermons in a church. After developing a children's show for public access in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Mr. Rogers set his sights on more and created Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. His influence on the show extended beyond him writing and producing every episode, but also projecting his own insecurities as well as influential people in his life into the characters, allowing him to show that he too has self-doubt and even sadness but finds ways to remind himself that he's a special person. It's not difficult to see how by creating such an empathetic but not pandering setup that he was able to so directly communicate with children and touch on the difficult subject matter that he did. It's always interesting to see a person who on television seems to not have a care in the world and can find the positive in any situation to so openly present their flaws and at times downright cynicism. Fred Rogers, admittedly, is not a person I thought did anything but smile, so to see interviews with him where he displays frustration and hopelessness in rallying against terrible media or tragic events like 9/11 was something I found to be fascinating. Here was a man who didn't so much as connect with children through positivity, but rather through a burning desire to not let the world crumble children the way it hurt him in his past. It's not hard to see why people loved him, and as a result why Conservatives in the documentary also wanted to bring him down. Mr. Rogers is not the first person that comes to mind when you think of a polarizing figure, but this film proves that to be just the case, having a gay African-American man as a recurring co-star, tackling the Vietnam War, and even suicide. But Fred Rogers never promised anyone anything, and those looking for a fast track to success and happiness would only be disappointed by the slow, patient demeanor that he exhibited and tried to promote in others. He preached a simple message, attainable for all who are patient enough to have it resonate with them, and it's a real treat to see his philosophies fleshed out throughout the film.
Going into this film, I honestly knew very little about Fred Rogers, but even then any preconceived notions I had were quickly dashed. This is a very well made documentary, weaving through archival footage and family interviews that gives you an honest and very open look at the man who influenced generations of children. It's brisk, to the point, and full of wonderful looks back at the show's most poignant moments. There are elements of the documentary that they don't delve into much, including the tinfoil Conservative pundits who tried to bring him down near the end of his life and his ill-fated television program for adults, but the focus shouldn't be on detractors or the failures of Mr. Rogers but rather the enormous successes that he achieved. It's amazing that a man who openly disliked television and hardly watched any himself ran a show for decades and said far more than most media ever will. It's a fascinating and joyful celebration of the life of a man who would dedicate that life to children and helping them navigate this world when even their own parents had no clue how to communicate these ideas. Fred Rogers proved that you didn't need a television program to have flash and flair to reach out to people, and it's not difficult to understand why he's had such a profound impact on so many.
8/10
